The treatment centers closed their doors six months ago, at the end of the second wave. But faced with the increase in cases in recent weeks and to prevent an upsurge in Covid-19 following the end of the year holidays, the authorities have decided to reopen two centers that can accommodate around 400 patients. Centers intended to take care of moderate forms of the coronavirus. Serious cases remain treated in hospitals, according to the Ministry of Health.
With our correspondent in Antananarivo,
In the Alarobia district, the technical high school has been transformed into a CTC, a coronavirus treatment center. The beds arranged next to each other, each equipped with an oxygen concentrator, are occupied by regarding thirty patients. A generator has been installed to compensate for the power cuts that had claimed victims during previous waves of coronavirus. Outside, seated on the ledge of one of the windows, Tahiry, trader. He stayed by his daughter’s side
« She was having a hard time breathing because she has asthma. So she needed oxygen. We went to the military hospital but there was no more room for the covid patients. We also went around private clinics but there are some that charge up to 120,000 Ariary (Editor’s note: 26 euros) per day. Finally, we came here to the CTC and when we saw that it was good and free, we had no fear. It’s like in the hospital. »
Out of nearly 2,000 cases of coronavirus recorded in a week, 1,600 are in the capital region. Three coronavirus treatment centers are open in Antananarivo. Dr Manitra Rakotoarivony, Director of Health Promotion in the Ministry of Public Health, urges residents to consult at the first symptoms
« In the CTCs, we take care of patients who have been categorized as “moderate forms”. There are clinical signs and if the oxygen saturation is less than 95% for example. We must not wait for people to get short of breath because we often find patients in CTCs who are already short of breath, who need very high oxygen pressure, so we have to go directly to hospitals. So, as soon as there are suspicious clinical signs of coronavirus, you have to go to the CTC or health facilities. It’s free. We should not wait for the disease to get worse. For mild forms of the coronavirus, patients should go to the basic health center. These are health facilities near the town and we treat the clinical signs of patients whether they test positive or negative. »
Awareness campaigns continue with the communities, particularly concerning vaccination. On December 26, Madagascar received just over 400,000 doses of AstraZeneca. The Pfizer, Janssen and Sinopharm vaccines are also offered at the vaccinodrome level.
« We must not wait for the disease to take charge. We must prevent and we have the vaccination. It is necessary to be vaccinated, especially people with co-morbidities, for example people with diabetes, hypertension. They need to be vaccinated and people and families are encouraged to be vaccinated. You must also respect barrier gestures: wear masks, wash your hands with hydroalcoholic gel, etc. We must take precautions so that the virus does not spread around us ”Explains Dr. Manitra Rakotoarivony.
According to the latest figures from the Ministry of Health from mid-December, just under 3% of the population is vaccinated once morest Covid-19.
